Mounting bar assembly for a materials handling vehicle

Abstract

A mounting bar assembly mounted to a materials handling vehicle includes a mounting bar extending from a body portion of the materials handling vehicle, a housing mounted to the mounting bar and supporting at least one electronic device, and cabling that extends to the housing through a hollow interior portion defined within the mounting bar. The mounting bar assembly further includes cabling for providing communication between the at least one electronic device and control structure of the vehicle. The housing is mounted to the mounting bar such that the housing can be situated in a plurality of positions along at least a portion of the length of the mounting bar while the cabling is maintained within the hollow interior portion.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A mounting bar assembly mounted to a materials handling vehicle comprising:
 a mounting bar extending from a body portion of the materials handling vehicle; 
 a housing mounted to the mounting bar, the housing supporting at least one electronic device; and 
 cabling that extends to the housing through a hollow interior portion defined within the mounting bar, the cabling providing communication between the at least one electronic device and control structure of the vehicle; 
 wherein the housing is mounted to the mounting bar such that the housing can be situated in a plurality of positions along at least a portion of the length of the mounting bar while the cabling is maintained within the hollow interior portion. 
 
     
     
       2. The mounting bar assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the mounting bar comprises an inner member and an outer member affixed to the inner member to define the hollow interior portion therebetween. 
     
     
       3. The mounting bar assembly of  claim 2 , further comprising fastening members that affix the inner member to the outer member, wherein each of the fastening members is located on an inner side of the mounting bar. 
     
     
       4. The mounting bar assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the inner member extends into and is affixed to the body portion of the vehicle. 
     
     
       5. The mounting bar assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the cabling extends from the housing into the hollow interior portion of the mounting bar through an elongate slot formed in the mounting bar. 
     
     
       6. The mounting bar assembly of  claim 5 , further comprises a clamp member that is affixed to the housing and surrounds the mounting bar therebetween to secure the housing to the mounting bar. 
     
     
       7. The mounting bar assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the clamp member covers the slot and the cabling extending through the slot to the housing. 
     
     
       8. The mounting bar assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the cabling includes sufficient slack so as to allow the housing to be situated in a plurality of positions along the mounting bar. 
     
     
       9. The mounting bar assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the mounting bar is mounted proximate to an operator station of the materials handling vehicle such that an operator can interact with the at least one electronic device while positioned in the operator station. 
     
     
       10. The mounting bar assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the mounting bar extends generally vertically upwardly from the body portion of the materials handling vehicle. 
     
     
       11. The mounting bar assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one light structure mounted to the mounting bar for emitting light. 
     
     
       12. The mounting bar assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the light structure emits light that is visible from the front and back of the materials handling vehicle. 
     
     
       13. The mounting bar assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the light structure is capable of emitting lights of different colors toward the front and back of the materials handling vehicle. 
     
     
       14. The mounting bar assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the mounting bar includes two light structures, one mounted in a first side arm of the mounting bar and one mounted in a second side arm of the mounting bar, the first and second side arms of the mounting bar extending from the body portion of the vehicle. 
     
     
       15. A mounting bar assembly mounted to a materials handling vehicle comprising:
 a mounting bar comprising:
 a first side arm extending from a body portion of the materials handling vehicle; 
 a second side arm extending from the body portion of the materials handling vehicle; and 
 a top member spanning between the first side arm and the second side arm; 
 
 a housing mounted to the top member, the housing supporting at least one electronic device; and 
 cabling that extends to the housing through a hollow interior portion defined within the top member and at least one of the first side arm and the second side arm, the cabling providing communication between the at least one electronic device and control structure of the vehicle; 
 wherein the housing is mounted to the top member such that the housing can be situated in a plurality of horizontal positions along the top member while the cabling is maintained within the hollow interior portion. 
 
     
     
       16. The mounting bar assembly of  claim 15 , wherein at least one of the first side arm and the second side arm comprises an inner member and an outer member affixed to the inner member to define a portion of the hollow interior portion therebetween. 
     
     
       17. The mounting bar assembly of  claim 16 , further comprising fastening members that affix the inner member to the outer member, wherein each of the fastening members is located on an inner side of the mounting bar. 
     
     
       18. The mounting bar assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the inner member extends into and is affixed to the body portion of the vehicle. 
     
     
       19. The mounting bar assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the cabling extends from the housing into the hollow interior portion of the mounting bar through an elongate slot formed in the top member of the mounting bar. 
     
     
       20. The mounting bar assembly of  claim 19 , wherein the slot is formed in an underside of the top member. 
     
     
       21. The mounting bar assembly of  claim 20 , further comprising a clamp member that is affixed to the housing and surrounds the top member therebetween to secure the housing to the top member. 
     
     
       22. The mounting bar assembly of  claim 21 , wherein the clamp member covers the slot and the cabling extending through the slot to the housing. 
     
     
       23. The mounting bar assembly of  claim 22 , wherein the cabling includes sufficient slack so as to allow the housing to be situated in a plurality of horizontal positions along the top member. 
     
     
       24. The mounting bar assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the first side arm and the second side arm are mounted proximate to an operator station of the materials handling vehicle such that an operator can interact with the at least one electronic device while positioned in the operator station. 
     
     
       25. The mounting bar assembly of  claim 24 , wherein the first side arm and the second side arm extend generally vertically upwardly from the body portion of the materials handling vehicle and are spaced apart from one another and located adjacent to respective first and second sides of the body portion. 
     
     
       26. The mounting bar assembly of  claim 15 , further comprising at least one light structure mounted to the mounting bar for emitting light. 
     
     
       27. The mounting bar assembly of  claim 26 , wherein the mounting bar includes two light structures, one mounted in the first side arm of the mounting bar and one mounted in the second side arm of the mounting bar. 
     
     
       28. The mounting bar assembly of  claim 27 , wherein the light structures emit light that is visible from the front and back of the materials handling vehicle. 
     
     
       29. The mounting bar assembly of  claim 28 , wherein the light structures are capable of emitting lights of different colors toward the front and back of the materials handling vehicle. 
     
     
       30. A materials handling vehicle comprising:
 a main body portion including a power unit and an operator station; 
 a load handling assembly; 
 a mounting bar extending from the main body portion of the materials handling vehicle; 
 a housing mounted to the mounting bar, the housing supporting at least one electronic device; and 
 cabling that extends to the housing through a hollow interior portion defined within the mounting bar, the cabling providing communication between the at least one electronic device and control structure of the vehicle; 
 wherein the housing is mounted to the mounting bar such that the housing can be situated in a plurality of positions along at least a portion of the length of the mounting bar while the cabling is maintained within the hollow interior portion. 
 
     
     
       31. The materials handling vehicle of  claim 30 , wherein the mounting bar comprises an inner member and an outer member affixed to the inner member to define the hollow interior portion therebetween. 
     
     
       32. The materials handling vehicle of  claim 31 , further comprising fastening members that affix the inner member to the outer member, wherein each of the fastening members is located on an inner side of the mounting bar. 
     
     
       33. The materials handling vehicle of  claim 31 , wherein the inner member extends into and is affixed to the body portion of the vehicle. 
     
     
       34. The materials handling vehicle of  claim 30 , wherein the cabling extends from the housing into the hollow interior portion of the mounting bar through an elongate slot formed in the mounting bar. 
     
     
       35. The materials handling vehicle of  claim 34 , wherein the slot is formed in an underside of the top member. 
     
     
       36. The materials handling vehicle of  claim 34 , further comprising a clamp member that is affixed to the housing and surrounds the mounting bar therebetween to secure the housing to the mounting bar. 
     
     
       37. The materials handling vehicle of  claim 36 , wherein the clamp member covers the slot and the cabling extending through the slot to the housing. 
     
     
       38. The materials handling vehicle of  claim 37 , wherein the cabling includes sufficient slack so as to allow the housing to be situated in a plurality of positions along the mounting bar. 
     
     
       39. The materials handling vehicle of  claim 30 , wherein the mounting bar extends generally vertically upwardly from the body portion of the materials handling vehicle. 
     
     
       40. The materials handling vehicle of  claim 30 , wherein the mounting bar is located on a side of the operator station opposite from the load handling assembly. 
     
     
       41. The materials handling vehicle of  claim 30 , further comprising at least one light structure mounted to the mounting bar for emitting light. 
     
     
       42. The materials handling vehicle of  claim 41 , wherein the light structure emits light that is visible from the front and back of the materials handling vehicle. 
     
     
       43. The materials handling vehicle of  claim 42 , wherein the light structure is capable of emitting lights of different colors toward the front and back of the materials handling vehicle.